On February 25th, Itzhak Perlman performed for a rapt Buffalo audience of over 2,400 at Kleinhans Music Hall where there was not one empty seat in the house and patrons even fully occupied the standing-room section at the back of the hall. It was a highlight of the 2016-17 season for the Buffalo Philharmonic under their Music Director JoAnn Falletta. The program featured original compositions and arrangements for violin and orchestra, all by composer John Williams, from soundtracks ranging from Cinema Paradiso and Far and Away to Schindler’s List and Scent of a Woman.

Review: Perlman, BPO thrill the house with upbeat takes on classic movie themes
The Buffalo News
By Mary Kunz Goldman
February 25, 2017
Kleinhans Music Hall took on a Hollywood sheen on Feb. 25, as superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman played movie music with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
And at times, it really felt as if we were in a movie.
Perlman turned Kleinhans Music Hall, good naturedly, into the Itzhak Perlman Show. As JoAnn Falletta and the orchestra looked on laughing, the master took the mic.
After playing “As Time Goes By,” he cracked: “This is the national anthem of the musicians’ union.” The sold-out crowd lost it.

Before beginning the wistful music from “Cinema Paradiso,” Perlman told us: “If it doesn’t sound like ‘Cinema Paradiso,’ get used to it. It is ‘Cinema Paradiso.’”
Even “Schindler’s List,” one of the saddest movies of all time, was not immune.
Introducing it, Perlman explained that he had been asked to play the music for the movie soundtrack. With perfect comic timing, he added, “I said, ‘Uh … OK.’”
What a charming evening in the fiddler’s house.

This must be an easy night for Perlman. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Seeing him so relaxed made the audience kick back, too. His playing was so natural, so unaffected. You were free simply to enjoy.

The score to the remake of “Sabrina” wouldn’t be music most of us could call to mind, but listening to Perlman play it, you could see why he chose it. It was sensuous and his bow went gliding over the strings. “Far and Away,” another obscure selection on paper, came to life in his hands. This music– by John Williams, as was much of the music of the night – was fun. Lively, like a jig, it gave us a glimpse of Perlman’s real virtuosity. As it neared its ending, it soared into the high treble. Perlman added flourishes that seemed impromptu before winding it up with perfect grace, just as a dancer might.

The tango from “Scent of a Woman,” though full of Latin snap and dash, had an old-fashioned lilt that made me think of Fritz Kreisler. “I didn’t play this in the movie. They didn’t ask me,” Perlman jived.

Korngold’s music to “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” full of unaffected lyricism, was perhaps the loveliest thing we heard all night.

And the funniest thing we heard all night followed. Perlman spoke of Korngold’s Violin Concerto, which references some of those soaring Korngold movie themes. He asked Concertmaster Dennis Kim, “Do you play the concerto?” Kim, startled, admitted he did not.
“You don’t?” Perlman said. The question hung in the air. “Well, you should!”
How about it, Mr. Kim? Maybe for the season after next?

Perlman and the Philharmonic musicians seemed to like and inspire each other. Principal Cellist Roman Mekinulov played a kind of duet with him in “Cinema Paradiso,” and other musicians, too, played off him and with him. Falletta gave everyone room and just let the evening flow.

Between selections Perlman had fun with the audience, asking us movie trivia questions. Who played Marian to Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood? I wasn’t shy, and yelled out “Olivia de Havilland!” I wasn’t the only one. Who played Sabrina in the remake? That was tougher, but someone shouted it: Julia Ormond.

All in all, a beautiful and unusual evening, the likes of which we won’t probably see again. Unless we can get Perlman to come back with a dozen more movie themes. Can we?
Before Perlman made his entrance, Falletta primed the crowd with three energetic instrumentals. John Williams’ Overture to “The Cowboys” sparkled with percussion and pizzazz, like Aaron Copland. Bernstein’s Suite from “On the Waterfront” brimmed with percussion and virtuosity. The timing was impeccable. It can’t have been easy to pull off.

Rounding out the night was John Williams’ zesty take on “Hooray for Hollywood.”
To see the complete review , click here.

Itzhak Perlman heads to the ‘sunshine state’ for a week of multiple performances. His Florida kicks off with a gala concert with the Florida Orchestra at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburgh, FL Itzhak Perlman will join Music Director Michael Francis on stage to perform some of his favorite music from the silver screen, including As Time Goes By from Casablanca, the Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso, and the Theme from Schindler’s List.

This extraordinary evening is also an important fundraiser to support TFO’s excellence in the concert hall and incredible reach into the Tampa Bay community.

Itzhak Perlman has shared some of the bounty of winning a $1 million Genesis Prize with the Yiddish Book Center, donating $50,000 to the center.

The Genesis Prize Foundation awards the prize to an individual who has “attained excellence and international renown in their chosen professional fields, and who inspire others through their engagement and dedication to the Jewish community and/or the State of Israel,” according to a press release.

Perlman is using the award to support programs in the fields of music and culture and to projects that promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of society, according to the release.

A portion of the gift to the center will be used for the Steiner Summer Yiddish Center, an intensive Yiddish language and culture program for college and graduate students.

The remainder will go to the Wexler Oral History Project, a growing collection of in-depth interviews with people of all ages and backgrounds whose stories offer a rich and complex chronicle of Jewish identity, according the book center’s press release.

“Mr. Perlman has been a friend of the Yiddish Book Center for many years,” said Aaron Lansky, the organization’s founder and president.

“He served as honorary campaign chairperson when we built our first building in 1997. Now, through this latest gift, he is helping to bring Yiddish learning to students at the Center and beyond our walls,” Lanky said in the statement.

Big Sur Coast Of California With Waves Of The Pacific Ocean Crashing Against Rocky Shores

Itzhak Perlman returns to the Westcoast this month on a 10-city tour spanning a period of 14 days. His longtime collaborator, pianist Rohan De Silva, joins him on the road for 8 of the 10 concerts in a recital program that features Beethoven’s popular “Spring” Sonata No. 5 in F Major and Stravinsky Suite Italienne. The first half of the program opens with Vivaldi Sonatina in A Major and the second half opens with Schumann Fantasistücke for Violin and Piano, a piece written for clarinet (or cello) with piano but played on the violin by the master himself with Mr. De Silva at the keyboard.

On January 21st, Perlman performs favorite works for violin and orchestra from the Silver Screen with the San Diego Symphony under the baton of fast-rising conductor Cristian Macelaru. Then on January 23rd, Perlman heads to Santa Barbara to reunite with his longtime klezmer musical friends for the 20th anniversary of In the Fiddler’s House featuring Andy Statman, Hankus Netsky, members of the Brave Old World, Klezmer Conservatory Band and other special guests.

San Diego Symphony
January 21, 2017 at 8:00PM
Cristian Macelaru, Conductor
Copley Symphony Hall
San Diego, California
Film Music Program:
“As Time Goes By” from Casablanca
Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso
Theme from Far and Away
Out of Africa: Main Title
“Marian & Robin” Love Theme from The Adventures of Robin Hood
Theme from Sabrina
Theme from Schindler’s List
Tango from Scent of a Woman (“Por Una Cabeza”)

Recital
January 22, 2017 at 3:00PM
Rohan De Silva, Piano
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Costa Mesa, California
Vivaldi: Sonatina in A Major
Beethoven: Sonata for Violin and Piano in F Major, No. 5, Op. 24 “Spring”
Schumann: Fantasistücke for Violin and Piano
Stravinsky: Suite Italienne for Violin and Piano

In the Fiddler’s House
January 23, 2017 at 7:00PM
Granada Theatre
Santa Barbara, California
Twenty years have passed since Itzhak Perlman made his iconic album of klezmer music, “In the Fiddler’s House”. The collection of traditional klezmer songs was also filmed as a PBS special, which earned Perlman his third Emmy Award, featuring the reigning violin virtuoso performing in Poland with the world’s finest klezmer musicians. Marking its 20th anniversary, Perlman revisits this important, personal project, featuring music director Hankus Netsky on saxophone and piano, Andy Statman on clarinet and mandolin, members of the Brave Old World and Klezmer Conservatory Band and other special guests.

Enjoy Itzhak Perlman’s wonderful ‘Year in Review’ slide show featuring his several of his playing, conducting and teaching highlights from 2016.

From performing with Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden, Chita Rivera at Carnegie Hall and orchestras around the country as well as playing the National Anthem during the MLB Playoffs to recording with Martha Argerich in Paris and accepting the Genesis Prize in Israel, he’s enjoyed a tremendous year of meaningful moments.

We look forward to seeing what lies ahead for Itzhak in 2017. Happy New Year!